Nau mai haere mai, welcome to this week’s newsletter.
Three years ago, the New Zealand government introduced a new scheme to offer wider access to therapeutic cannabis products for people suffering long-term and debilitating illnesses. But as Victoria University’s Fiona Hutton explains, the vast majority of people this scheme was supposed to help are still struggling to obtain legally prescribed cannabis products.
According to Hutton, “Problems include the cost of prescribed cannabis products and the reluctance of GPs to prescribe them, alongside the complex regulatory and compliance scheme accompanying the new law.”
Struggling New Zealanders are being left to suffer, take prescribed painkillers that have their own side effects, or access cannabis illegally via green fairies or other illicit channels.
Hutton argues it is time to reconsider how we treat therapeutic cannabis products and move to an approach seen in Europe where some cannabis-based therapies can be bought without a prescription.
There’s more to read here and on our homepage, including a fascinating look into Top Gun: Maverick’s obsession with it’s former self, and a timely reminder that New Zealand needs to put its money where its mouth
is when it comes to increasing assistance in the Pacific region in the face of Chinese expansion.
Until next time, take care and mā te wā.
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